Planting cowpeas

[Alan L.]

I know I'm pretty late, but I need to plant the cowpeas on about 3 or 4 acres. I usually till it about 3" deep, broadcast, then drag it. I was thinking doing it different this time by broadcasting then dishing. The cowpeas need to be covered with dirt, maybe a half to 3/4 inch. Seems like this might be faster if I can get enough of the seed properly buried this way. Any comments on this.

 

[Western]

Alan, I have done it both ways and I think I have better results discing 1st. I think the loose dirt helps the roots get going better. I think your 1st idea is the way to go and pray for rain. Your Northeast of me and usually get better precip.

 

[jinman]

Alan, what did you use for dragging after planting? I have a couple of old horse-drawn spring-tooth harrow sections I hook behind my tractor and drag. I would think for peas a section of chainlink fence with a couple of bales of hay lashed on top would be about perfect for planting cowpeas.

BTW: Where did you get your seeds and how many? If I were just planting cowpeas, I think I'd go to Walmart and buy bags of several kinds of dry peas. They grow like gangbusters. Some folks think they are treated to not germinate, but it ain't so. Don't make the mistake of planting dry pinto beans. The largest pinto bean crop I ever had was from a bag of beans off Walmart's shelf.

 

[Alan L.]

I get the cowpeas at a feed store owned by a friend. Seems like about $7.25 per each 50 pound bag and I got 7 bags. Plus 7 little bags of innoculant at about $5 each. The drag is basically a 12 foot 4" by 6" cedar rail on the front with a cattle panel nailed to the bottom, and another cattle panel behind that, so the whole thing is maybe 12 feet wide by 8 feet long. Works better than anything I have tried in the past. Its may 3.5 acres and takes probably 3 or 4 hours to till it 3" deep. I put the tractor in low range (HST) and go full speed forward. Alot of dust so I have to wear a mask. The disk is faster although it would take 2 or 3 passes to break it up like the tiller. I somehow just pictured enough of the seed getting covered just right after disking for them to come up OK.

 

[Alan L.]

Everything is delayed, I have 8 round bales (my rye grass crop) still sitting out there. Hope my neighbor who cut and baled it for the hay gets them removed soon. Running out of possible precip for the summer.

 

[jinman]

Alan, at $7.50 for 50 lb, I'd be tempted to mix the cowpeas with deer corn to see if the deer like them. My wife thought the deer were cute when they came up and drank out of the birdbath about a week ago. Last night, they not only drained the birdbath, but they severely pruned about a dozen of my wife's new rose bushes.

 

[DT86]

Sorry to go off topic here but what variety of Rye Grass did you plant? I realize we are completely different parts of the country; I am looking into planting some myself and trying to figure out what types are preferred.

 

[Alan L.]

Alan, at $7.50 for 50 lb, I'd be tempted to mix the cowpeas with deer corn to see if the deer like them. My wife thought the deer were cute when they came up and drank out of the birdbath about a week ago. Last night, they not only drained the birdbath, but they severely pruned about a dozen of my wife's new rose bushes.

Hmmm....not a bad idea. Cheaper than deer corn and clean. And the deer certainly love the the greenery of the plant, not sure if they like the dried peas themselves. However I do have to either go to Denton and get them from the manufacturer or have my friend at the feed store order them in. Not something anybody around here stocks.

I may try to roll those bales off to the side with my tractor.

 

[Alan L.]

Sorry to go off topic here but what variety of Rye Grass did you plant? I realize we are completely different parts of the country; I am looking into planting some myself and trying to figure out what types are preferred.

The last two or three years I have planted what the feed store calls "fast grass", can't remember the brand. That stuff has grown like wildfire and is very inexpensive. It is an annual rye so has to be planted each fall.

 

[Alan L.]

Got er done. When ahead and tilled it like always, broadcast, and dragged (drug?) it. Hoping that possible rain chance next weekend comes through for me. I planted rows of cowpeas in the garden too. We didn't plant a garden this spring but hope to next year.